Manager, Product Design

Relocation Assistance Offered Within Country
# 156237 - Topeka, Kansas, United States
Who We Are
Colgate-Palmolive Company is a caring, innovative growth company that is reimagining a healthier future for all people, their pets and our planet. Focused on Oral Care, Personal Care, Home Care and Pet Nutrition, we sell our products in more than 200 countries and territories under brands such as Colgate, Palmolive, elmex, hello, meridol, Sorriso, Tom's of Maine, EltaMD, Filorga, Irish Spring, PCA SKIN, Protex, Sanex, Softsoap, Speed Stick, Ajax, Axion, Fabuloso, Soupline and Suavitel, as well as Hill's Pet Nutrition.
We are recognized for our leadership and innovation in promoting sustainability and community wellbeing, including our achievements in decreasing plastic waste and promoting recyclability, saving water, conserving natural resources and improving children's oral health.
If you want to work for a company that lives by their values, then give your career a reason to smile and join our global team!
 

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Job Summary

Our Product Design group is at the forefront of innovation, dedicated to enhancing the bond between pets and pet parents through the development of cutting-edge technologies in pet foods.  We take pride in our commitment to quality, ensuring that our premium wet and dry products not only meet, but exceed the expectations of pet parents.  

The Manager/Senior Manager, Product Design located in Topeka, KS, will lead a dynamic group of scientists and oversee groundbreaking research in various areas including:

• Identifying and developing new palatants/ flavors/ taste technologies to improve product performance 

• Investigating Product Design variables (ingredients, processing parameters,.) to elucidate drivers of pet preference and provide direction for new product development and product improvements

They will lead technology implementation and scale up in manufacturing facilities, while ensuring all project deliverables are met and partnering with cross functional teams to troubleshoot issues. This candidate will be responsible for ongoing management of the palatant portfolio and executing palatant related projects that align with the established strategy. The ideal candidate will have strong people and project management skills, attention to detail, and a solid understanding of food product commercialization and ingredient functionality.  

This position will work closely with product development, quality, supply chain and manufacturing, regulatory and ingredient procurement colleagues to ensure success.

Roles and Responsibilities:

• Technology Development: Oversee development of innovative technologies that align with our taste performance goals, ingredient portfolio strategy and Product Design requirements. 

• Formulation Approval & Direction: Approve experimental formulations and provide guidance to the team on project direction.  Communicate findings and recommendations effectively through comprehensive study reports and presentations.

• Cross Functional Collaboration:  Collaborate with cross functional teams to manage the taste technology portfolio and ensure the achievement of short and long term strategic goals.

• People Management: Supervise and mentor a team of scientists, fostering their professional growth and development. 

• Other Duties: As required, contribute to additional tasks and projects that align with the broader objectives of the Product Design group. 

Required qualifications:  

• A minimum of a Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Chemistry, Food Engineering or related field

• Minimum of 8 years of food industry experience,

• 2 years in a supervisory role

Preferred qualifications:

• Master's and/or PhD in Food Science, Chemistry, Food Engineering or related field

• Pet food experience

Other required experience or qualifications:

• Demonstrated success designing and running scientific experiments in the laboratory and scaling up to implementation in manufacturing environments.

• Possesses understanding in regulatory, product safety and quality requirements relevant to  companion animal or human food products

• Demonstrated ability to plan and lead cross functional development projects 

• Excellent interpersonal and team skills; ability to communicate and influence in a cross-functional environment.

Compensation and Benefits
Salary Range $112,000.00 - $147,000.00 USD
Pay is based on multiple non-discriminatory, individualized factors including but not limited to experience, job-related knowledge and education, skills and office/market location. In addition to base salary, salaried employees are eligible for annual discretionary bonuses, profit-sharing and, for Executive-level (salary grade 16 and above) roles only, long-term incentives in the form of Restricted Stock Units and/or Stock Options.
Subject to the terms and conditions of the applicable benefits plans then in effect, all salaried employees are also eligible for a competitive benefits package which includes:

• Insurance: Employees (and their eligible dependents) are eligible to participate in Company-sponsored Medical, Dental, Vision, Basic Life Insurance, Accidental Death & Dismemberment and Disability insurance plans.
• Retirement Plans: Employees are eligible to enroll in Colgate's 401(k) plan, which provides for company matching contributions subject to eligibility requirements
• Vacation/PTO: Employees receive a minimum of 15 days of vacation/PTO leave annually
• Paid Holidays: Employees receive a minimum of 13 paid/floating holidays annually
• Paid Sick Leave: Based on location and consistent with applicable state and local law, employees receive a minimum of 40 hours of paid sick leave on January 1st of each year
• Paid Parental Leave: Eligible employees may take up to eight weeks of paid parental leave and 12 weeks of unpaid leave (varies for employees with fewer than 12 months of service and is subject to hours worked requirements)

Our Commitment to Sustainability
With the Colgate brand in more homes than any other, we are presented with great opportunities and new challenges as we work to integrate sustainability into all aspects of our business and create positive social impact. We are determined to position ourselves for further growth as we act on our 2025 Sustainability & Social Impact Strategy.
Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Achieving our purpose starts with our people - ensuring our workforce represents the people and communities we serve -and creating an environment where our people feel they belong; where we can be our authentic selves, feel treated with respect and have the support of leadership to impact the business in a meaningful way.
Equal Opportunity Employer
Colgate is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, ethnicity, age, disability, marital status, veteran status (United States positions), or any other characteristic protected by law.
Reasonable accommodation during the application process is available for persons with disabilities. Please contact Application_Accommodation@colpal.com with the subject "Accommodation Request" should you require accommodation.
For additional Colgate terms and conditions, please click here.
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